She said she was "hugely excited" to explore the character of Toyah more than a decade after leaving the ITV show.

"I am thrilled to be rejoining my old friends on the cobbles," she said .

"Coronation Street has always had a place in my heart and I'm delighted to be working again with my good friend Jane Danson and bringing the Battersby sisters back together.

"The scriptwriters and producers have come up with some fantastic, clever and detailed storylines that have inspired me and I feel excited to get started," Taylor added.

The 36-year-old was last seen on the cobbles in February 2003 when she left Weatherfield after discovering her college lecturer boyfriend had got her friend pregnant.

Producer Kate Oates said: "I am delighted that Georgia Taylor has agreed to return to the role of Toyah. She is a talented actress who has had great success since leaving the show in 2003.

"Family relationships are the lifeblood of soap operas and I am excited to explore the drama that Toyah will bring with her to the cobbles. She has led an interesting life away from Weatherfield and she has secrets she has kept even from Leanne.

"Her arrival this Christmas looks set to put the cat amongst the Coronation Street pigeons."

Taylor won the best dramatic performance award at the British Soap Awards in 2001 for her portrayal of Toyah's rape ordeal.